


Maybe You’re my New Mission

by randomascas



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Friendship, Male Friendship, Mentor/Protégé, OOC, Platonic Relationships, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 07:09:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18795442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomascas/pseuds/randomascas
Summary: Peter’s studying for the APUSH exam and a walking history textbook offers him some help.Or, Bucky and Peter cope after Endgame.





	Maybe You’re my New Mission

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I just took the APUSH test and I had Steve and Bucky on my mind the whole test, so I wrote this. It’s my first time messing around with Marvel so every things super out of character. Please enjoy.

Peter Parker can’t focus.

He’s been trying since the last bell to study for the AP US History exam. But the words are swimming off the pages and everything feels off. Like he’s dreaming. Like he’ll wake up tomorrow on that ship five years ago when AP tests were a million miles out of his mind.

Like nothing’s changed.

He dialed Tony’s number, two hours ago, after May left with Happy for dinner. He didn’t realize his mistake until he pressed “call”. Until the cool mechanic voice on the other end told him the number was disconnected. Peter turned his phone off and chucked it across the room.

He closes his book now, for the sixth time, and contemplates quitting. But testing is expensive and money’s tight. It’s always tight. And he needs 4s and 5s for his dream colleges, or else he won’t get credit. He can’t afford to not get credit.

His problem isn’t the material, though. He knows everything up until Great Depression, until the snap whisked him away.

No, his problem is that, since he’s been back, he’s been jumpy and nervous every time someone moves. When the room’s too hot or too full, all he can think of is that night.

And even though he’s got his window open and a fan running in the corner, he’s suffocating. That’s when the tears start. They come slowly, at first, but then they become fast and angry and frustrated. He can’t stop them, and he’s all alone.

He tentatively paces away from his desk, picks up his phone. With a swift, forceful press of the power button, he reboots his phone.

The screen reads “one missed call, America’s Ass and Friends”. He’s been avoiding them for a week, but he’s tired and lonely. No time like the present. He hit redial, and waits.

 

James Buchanan Barnes knows what frustration sounds like. He grew up patching up his idiot best friend after fights, and tried to stop the endless fountain of self-loathing that sometimes poured out of his mouth. Steve had his breaking points, still does, and Bucky’s witnessed what happens to the hero who wants to save everyone when he can’t.

So when Peter calls, Bucky knows something’s up. Maybe it’s the time of night (11:00, because Bucky’s old fashioned) or how his voice cracks a little more than usual; either way, Bucky’s intrigued.

“What wrong?” Bucky asks. There’s silence on the other end for a moment, the distinct sound of Peter breathing into the mic. (He always puts his mouth a bit too close to the mic. Bucky thinks it’s endearing.)

And then, “Nothing.”

Bucky’s sure he’s heard Steve say the same thing at some point, but it’s all a distant memory. Everything back then is fuzzy. But he remembers how Steve was, how he was. And he wants to still be that. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’m okay, but Mr. Bucky, uh, sir, do you know why you guys called me earlier?”

A mission, but Bucky’ll handle it because Peter’s not in any condition to. “No,” He lies. And then he hangs up, because he has a job to do.

 

Peter doesn’t like being home alone much anymore. Everything just seems so foreign and scary. The couple next door who only fights stopped being funny and now just puts Peter on edge. The way his room sits, facing out into the open street, just seems like easy access for evil. Even the shadows seem bigger, more daunting.

So when someone knocks on the door, it makes his heart race and his arms shake. He grabs his extra web shooters and sets them to stun, courtesy of Ned, before slinking out through the kitchen.

Peter rests his hand on the front door handle, without checking the peephole. He presses down, opens the latch. Slowly, he pulls the door open.

And there’s Bucky carrying some take out and a big blanket.

“Do you like China House?” Bucky says, awkwardly, like he’s not really sure what he’s doing.

“What are you doing here?” Peter never used to ask when Chinese food was involved. But now, after everything, he can’t help but be suspicious.

Bucky frowns, brushes a stray strand of hair back behind his ear. Peter’s never seen him in a bun like this before.

In fact, Peter’s never seen him like this before at all. Bucky has a ridiculous sweater that just covers the bumps and dents in his left arm and a pair of jeans on. His outfit looks nothing like the suit Peter knows well enough.

“You sounded upset, on the phone,” Bucky says. Peter can’t help but wonder how long it’s been since Bucky’s done something like this. “And you look like you’ve been crying. I just... I used to do stuff like this with Steve when I was growing up.”

Peter didn’t even think about it. He lost Tony, yeah, but Bucky lost his best friend of like 100 years. Maybe Bucky needed this just as much as he thought Peter did.

Peter pulls the door open a bit more. “I’m trying to study for AP History tomorrow and it’s really not working.”

“AP?” Bucky says as he steps in. He looks just as awkward as he did back in the hallway.

“Advanced Placement.”

“Oh right. I kind of remember back when that started.”

“Kind of?”

“60 years of brainwashing leaves you a bit foggy,” Bucky laughs through his words, the kind of breathy that Peter knows is made for brushing things off.

“But you remember it?”

“Of course.”

Peter reaches forward and grabs the chinese food from Bucky’s metal hand. He takes it back to the kitchen and sets it on the corner. He can sense Bucky standing behind him. As he starts rooting through the bag, he asks, “What else do you kind of remember?”

“A lot.”

“Like, what? Oh, egg rolls! Thank god.”

Bucky coughs. “My earliest memory was my dad coming home and telling us he lost his job.”

With a mouth full of egg roll, Peter turns around. “1929?”

“1931,” Bucky says. “2 years after the crash. I was fourteen.”

“My Aunt May almost lost her job back during the housing market crash,” Peter blurts out. Bucky raises his eyebrows, stifles a laugh.

“Tell me more about these AP tests, kid.”

For a moment, Peter can almost here Tony’s voice there, and his chest tightens.

“You get college credit for them,” Peter explains. “If you pass, that is.”

“And that’s why you’re so frustrated?”

“Yeah. I gotta pass these. But I really, really struggle in history.”

“Well, I am a World War 2 veteran,” Bucky says.

“Were you there on D Day?”

Bucky shakes his head. The kid’s so naive, it’s almost cute. “I wasn’t, no. But I heard all about it.”

“What’d ya hear?”

Bucky hesitates, opens his mouth and closes it. Peter instantly regrets asking.

“You don’t have to tell me, I don’t mind,” Peter says. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

But Bucky grits his teeth and shakes his head. “No, no, kid. I’m okay.”

 

Bucky doesn’t like thinking about war anymore, but after everything he’s been through, talking about it isn’t as hard as it used to be.

At this point, the Chinese food is devoured and they’re studying in Peter’s room. Peter’s hunched over his copy of the American Pagent, reading about Captain American.

“‘Young Steve Rogers, donning a mask and shield, used his prowess and excellent abs to boost war bonds and moral.’”

“Does it really say excellent abs?”

“Um, duh. You’ve seen the man.”

Peter turns the page and his face falls. “Your first name is James?” He says quietly.

“Huh?”

Peter turns the page around. It’s a big spread, with a giant picture of Bucky and Steve together. They were smiling.

“Captain America frees Allied POWs, including Sergeant James ‘Bucky’ Buchanan Barnes. Barnes is the only known Howling Commando who died during the war.”

“Yeah, well, they didn’t get that exactly right.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

Bucky gulps, and looks away. His bangs fall into his face. (He’s wanted to cut it off for the last few weeks, since Steve left, but every time he thinks about it, all he sees is who he used to be.)

“You look happy,” Peter says, studying the image.

“I was next to my best friend,” Bucky says. There’s a curtness to his voice, like he doesn’t want to talk about it. Peter sets the book down next to him, and paces to his desk. He curls his hand around the picture sitting on top. Bucky watches him, confused.

“My aunt gave me this, at the funeral,” He says. He holds out the photo.

At first, Bucky’s assuming it’s the picture that Tony used to have on his desk, from the Stark Internship ceremony.

But it’s definitely not. Bucky doesn’t recognize the man that Peter’s standing with, but their big smiles are so similar that they must be related. They’re both wearing Mets gear which looks a bit worn around the edges (Peter’s seems to hang off him a bit too much). They both look so happy, it hurts.

“What is this?”

“My uncle Ben took me to a Mets game for my 15th Birthday.”

“Uncle Ben?”

Peter gulps. “He’s dead.”

“Oh.” Bucky studies the photo a bit longer. “Nice glasses.”

Peter smiles, sadly. “Yeah, um, I stopped needing them after I changed.”

“Changed?”

“Spider bite.”

“Ah, right. You look happy.”

“He was best friend, you know.” Peter reaches forward and takes the picture from Bucky’s hand. “I miss him.”

“Yeah?”

“Sometimes, I hear Aunt May talk about him, and I just can’t help but wish I had him back.”

Bucky nods, not sure what to say. He’s never been good with this stuff, unless it’s with Steve, and it’s been awhile even then. Finally, he settles on saying, “I lost my dad a long time ago. I can’t tell you it gets better, but it doesn’t get worse.”

“I know... I mean, I lost my parents 12 years ago. I know. I just... it doesn’t feel like it right now.”

Bucky frowns. He doesn’t know what to say. Peter’s lost everything, and he never even knew.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“I’m really bad at this, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, man, you’re like 100 years old. You’re allowed to be bad at this.”

“Aren’t grandparents supposed to be good at comforting people?”

Peter grins. “Grandmas are.”

“I rest my case.” Bucky opens and closes his hands, and then stands up. He’s a bit taller than Peter, so when he wraps his arms around him, he has to slouch a bit.

Peter hesitates and then slowly hugs Bucky back. “This is nice,” He says, after a moment.

Bucky smiles. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

 

When Aunt May comes home that night from her date, she’s not surprised to find Peter fast asleep, his textbook laying out on his chest. She is, however, surprised to find a handwritten note from Bucky Barnes taped to a photo of her husband:

“Guess this make you my new mission, kid. Good luck tomorrow.”


End file.
